Bart Stupak: “One of the most important sections of H.R. 985 deals with protecting the integrity of the scientific process by…”

“One of the most important sections of H.R. 985 deals with protecting the integrity of the scientific process by shielding whistleblowers who report tampering with government scientific investigations. My amendment would enhance whistleblower protection by including in the list of reportable actions any attempt to suppress the right of government scientists to publish or announce their findings in peer reviewed journals or public meetings with their fellow scientists. In science, one of the strongest signs of credibility in a study is that the scientists are given a right to publish their rights freely, whatever those results may be. Completed studies are submitted to peer-reviewed journals for consideration, allowing the scientific community at large to review, challenge and incorporate new findings. The peer review process is a critical step in the development of scientific knowledge, and the transparency inherent in the process is one of our strongest safeguards against corrupted or misleading scientific claims.”